A blog of political positions and thoughts, from a liberal who evolved into a moderate, and who keeps on evolving. Open-minded analysis. Plain writing. Occasional profanity.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Funny moments in liberal media bias

#1. Terry Gross vs. Bill O'Reilly

Terry Gross invites Bill O'Reilly onto to Fresh Air and, surprisingly, he accepts. She thinks that she's going to be able to pummel him with all these "tough" questions about his perhaps inflated claims of winning journalism awards.

So, she's going in for the kill, and he turns the tables so deftly. He asks her (inexact paraphase), "Is this how you treated Al Franken when he was on your show?" Awkward silence, followed by ums, followed by sheepish concession of the point. Too bad this incident isn't on YouTube for all media hawks to review.

How did Bill O'Reilly do this? Because he's aware of how media bias works. He's a master practitioner. He knows when he's doing it, why he's doing it, how he's doing it, how others do it. Terry Gross, she's blind to her own bias. That's how O'Reilly did it.

Jon, it is sad for someone, who so exquisitely skewers blatant bias and foolishness, to give a pass to the New York Times. OK, half a pass. Most media in this country is lazy and sensational. That is so absurdly evident I won't even provide proof beyond one name --Lindsay Lohan. But it's also true that the NYT has a liberal bias.

Stewart conceded as much earlier in the interview: "I think they are to a certain extent... Do I think they are relentlessly activist? No." Most of Jon Stewart's criticism is right on target, but that was a miss. However, Chris Wallace had the worst of it when he had to eat crow for accidentally admitting that Fox News told "the other side of the story." Overall score: Stewart: 80,000; Fox News 1.